Metal wheel



Patented lune 6, I899.

W. C. WATERBUBY.

M E TA L WH E E L (Application filed Oct. 31, 1898.)

(No Model.)

Urwrnn STATES PATENT FFICE.

XVALTON C. WVATERBURY, OF LA GRANGE, ILLINOIS.

METAL WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 626,254, dated June 6, 1899. Application filed October 31, 1898. Serial No. 695,087. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, I/VALTON C. WATER- BURY, of La Grange, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal Wheels, of which the followingisafull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to metal wheels; and

. its object is to provide a light, durable, and

strong wheel which possesses sufficient resilicncy to permit its use as well on hard paved streets of a city as on the ordinary dirt roads of the country and which can easily be i adapted either for heavy or light Vehicles.

Its further object is to permit of the quick and economical truing and alining of the wheel either at the time of completion of the wheel or subsequently. This I accomplish by the means hereinafter fully described and as particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of my improved wheel. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through one-half of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan of the blank of the multiple spoke of my invention. Fig. 4 shows the same after being submitted to the first step in its reduction to the final shape in which it is to be used. Fig. 5 is a detail showing a cross-section of one of the spokes.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a hub which is made, preferably, of cast-iron, has its outer surface cylindrical, and is pro vided with circumferential flanges a a near each end. The relative position of these flanges a is the same, and they correspond in construction, and the sides thereof facing the adjacent ends of the hub are slightly beveled, so as to aline with the slant of that portion of the spokes B between the said hub and rim C.

My improved wheel is provided with two corresponding series of spokes, each of which is made from a blank D, consisting of a rectangular piece of sheet metal of a length corresponding to the circumference of the ends of the hub and of a width corresponding to the length of the spokes plus the distance from the flanges a to or near the end of the hub and plus about one-half the width of the rim 0. This piece of sheet metal is provided with a series of corresponding transverse incisions located at equal intervals apart to form embryo spokes, which extend from one longitudinal edge to within a short distance of the opposite edge, so as to leave a narrow band (Z, corresponding in width to the distance from the flanges a to the adjacent end of the hub. This band and a narrow marginal portion of the opposite edge are bent so as to be substantially at right angles to the remainder of the blank and then the band d curved into a perfect circle. W'hen band cl is formed into a circle, the spokes will radiate therefrom at equal distances apart, and thus form a series of integrant multiple spokes, one set of which is secured to one end of the hub and the other set at the other end. I accomplish the attachment of the multiple spokes to the hub by slipping the band d over the ends of the hub until the spokes proper bear against the adjacent beveled or inclined side of flanges a and then shrinking or otherwise securingsleeves e 6 over said band.

The multiple spokes on one side of the wheel are arranged in staggered or alternating position with those on the other side and their outer ends are suitably riveted to the rim 0. Rim C (shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings) is made of T-iron, and the spokes are preferably riveted both to the vertical web and the outer horizontal portion thereof, the spokes on one side of the wheel being secured to one side of the vertical web,with their contiguous bent ends pointed toward the adjacent side edge of the rim, and the spokes on the other side of the wheel are secured to the rim just the reverse of this.

If desired, I can make a more finished looking rim by securing circular strips or annuli of metal a over the outer bent ends of the spokes and against the inner circumference of the rim on each side of the vertical web.

The hub is preferably cored out in order to lighten the same, and the bore thereof is preferably made tapering in order to adapt it for use on the arm of the axle of a vehicle and dispense with a box.

The spokes can be made perfectly plain. I much prefer, however, to provide them with a longitudinally-arranged bead so, which in cross-section may be of a concavo-convex V shape or segmental shape or any other shape designed to strengthen and improve its ability to withstand transverse strains.

What I claim as new is- 1. A metal Wheel consisting of a suitable hub having a circumferential flange near each end thereof, two series of integrant sheetmetal spokes having a homogeneous hub-band each of which is mounted on one'end of said hub, respectively, so that said spokes come in contact with said flanges, sleeves suitably secured shrunk on the ends of said hub over said hub-band, and a rim to which the outer ends of said spokes are secured.

2. A metal wheel consisting of a suitable hub, two-series of sheet-metal spokes having their ends bent at a suitable angle to the remainder of their length and having the bent portions of their inner ends resting against the'cylindrical sides of the end portions of the hub, sleeves suitably secured shrunk on the ends of said hub over the inner bent ends of said spokes, and a rim to which the outer ends of said spokes are secured.

3. A metal wheel consisting of a suitable hub, two series of integrant sheet metal spokes having a homogeneous hub-band bent at a suitable angle to the remainder of their length each of which is respectively mounted on one end of said hub, sleeves shrunk on the ends of said hub over said hub-band, and a rim to which the outer ends of said spokes are secured.

4. A metal wheel consisting of a suitable hub, having circumferential flanges near each end thereof, two series of sheet-metal spokes having their inner ends bent at suitable angles and secured to the ends of said hub in such manner that they are braced against said flanges, means for securing the inner ends of said spokes to said hub and a rim having a circumferential inwardly-proj ecting web to which the outer ends of said spokes are suitably secured.

5. A metal wheel consisting of a suitable hub, two series of integrant sheet metal spokes having a homogeneous hub-band bent at asuitable angle to the spokes, each of which is respectively mounted on one end of said hub, sleeves shrunk on the ends of said hub over said hub-bands, a rim made of T-iron to which the outer ends of said spokes are secured so that the spokes of one series will impinge against one side of the vertical web of said rim and the spokes of the other series will impinge against the other side of said Web.

6. A metal Wheel consisting of a suitable hub, having circumferential flanges near the ends thereof, two series of integrant sheetmetal spokes having a homogeneous hubband bent at a suitable angle thereto each of which latter is mounted on one end of said hub until the spokes rest against saidfianges, sleeves shrunk on the ends of said hub over said hub-band, and a rim of T-iron to which the outer bent ends of said spokes are secured so that the spokes of one series will impinge against one side of the vertical web of said rim and the spokes of the other series will impinge against the other side of said web as and for the purpose set forth.

WALTON O. WATERBURY. Witnesses:

M. I. FRIEL, FRANK D. THOMASON. 

